This invention relates to disposable diapers. More particularly, this invention relates to disposable diapers adapted to be secured about an infant by means of adhesive closures.
Disposable diapers provide substantial convenience over conventional diapers and usually are secured about an infant by means of adhesive tape tabs which are affixed to the diaper along longitudinal edges thereof. The tabs extend laterally outwardly from opposite sides of the diaper. Typical of prior art adhesive systems is that illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. Re. 26,151 to Duncan et al. However, the outwardly extending tape tabs tend to interfere with manufacturing and packaging machinery during diaper fabrication. Another type of adhesive closure system is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,651 to Torr which shows diaper corner areas coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive primarily intended for adhesive-on-adhesive contact for proper attachment. Complementary areas along the transverse edges of the diaper are coated with a release material to protect the exposed adhesive surfaces of an adjacent diaper packaged in the same container. However, the relatively large amounts of adhesive and release materials that would have to be used on each diaper would render the areas along the transverse edges of the diaper, i.e., that portion of the diaper which ultimately envelops an infant's waist, undesirably stiff. Moreover, the release material on the diaper inside surface contacts the infant's skin when the diaper is worn and could cause irritation thereof. Also, in some instances the body-contacting layer of the diaper is made of a fibrous, non-woven web which may not be strong enough to support an adhesive closure by itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,013 to Mesek discloses a diaper having a tape closure system wherein longitudinally-extending adhesive areas are provided on the diaper facing layer.